Abstract
The toxicity of lead has been known for a long time, and no safe uptake level can be derived for humans. Consumers’ intake via food should therefore be kept as low as possible. Game meat can contain elevated levels of lead due to the use of lead ammunition for hunting. A risk assessment conducted in 2010 by the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment including various consumption scenarios revealed a possible health risk for extreme consumers of game meat hunted with lead ammunition (i.e. hunters and members of hunters’ households). Babies, infants, children and women of childbearing age were identified as vulnerable group with regards to the developmental neurotoxicity of lead. It was noted, that a sound data base was required in order to refine the assessment. Therefore, the research project “Safety of game meat obtained through hunting” (LEMISI) has been conducted in Germany, with the aims of determining the concentrations of lead (as well as of copper and zinc) brought into the edible parts of game meat (roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and wild boar (Sus scrofa)) due to using either lead or non-lead hunting ammunition, whilst concurrently taking geogenic (i.e. “background”) levels of lead into account. Compared to non-lead ammunition, lead ammunition significantly increased lead concentrations in the game meat. The use of both lead and non-lead ammunition deposited copper and zinc in the edible parts of game meat, and the concentrations were in the range of those detected regularly in meat of farm animals. For the average consumer of game meat in Germany the additional uptake of lead only makes a minor contribution to the average alimentary lead exposure. However, for consumers from hunters’ households the resulting uptake of lead–due to lead ammunition—can be several times higher than the average alimentary lead exposure. Non-lead bullets in combination with suitable game meat hygienic measures are therefore recommended in order to ensure “state of the art consumer health protection”.
Highlights
In 2010 the World Health Organization listed lead as one of the ten chemicals of major public health concern [1]
Based on model calculations done by EFSA, the panel concluded that the former provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) for lead of 25 μg/kg body weight was no longer appropriate as the reference value for a health based risk assessment to ensure an adequate protection for consumers
Quite a number of the samples were found to be below detection and quantification limits for both lead and non-lead shot game meat samples
Summary
In 2010 the World Health Organization listed lead as one of the ten chemicals of major public health concern [1]. New toxicological findings have resulted in a re-assessment of the health effects of lead uptake for humans [2]; [3]). In its scientific opinion published in 2010, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) systematically evaluated new data on lead exposure of the European population and the toxicological effects. Based on model calculations done by EFSA, the panel concluded that the former provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) for lead of 25 μg/kg body weight was no longer appropriate as the reference value for a health based risk assessment to ensure an adequate protection for consumers. EFSA identified developmental neurotoxicity as the most sensitive toxicological endpoint for lead [2]. Nephrotoxicity and the effects of lead on the cardio-vascular system were identified as the most sensitive endpoints. For humans, any uptake of lead should be as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA principle)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
